Coloring books for adults

Coloring books for anti-stress

There are Facebook pages devoted to adult colorers. Thanks to a recent wave of publicity over the release of coloring books such as Enchanted Forest, Secret Garden and Game of Thrones Coloring Book, coloring is now a normal adult activity.

It's good for you

There seems to have been, before now, some embarrassment attached to the notion that an adult might enjoy an activity as childish as coloring. But scientific evidence showing the benefits of coloring has given adults permission to enjoy something they might have felt was quite childish. Many colorists have latched onto the idea that coloring promotes mindfulness, and can help reduce stress. Though there aren't studies specifically on the benefits of adult coloring, and as Art Therapists will tell you, play is important for both adults and children.

How it works

Coloring can act as a de-stressor. Coloring books can act as a reset button for adults who are moving too quickly from one responsibility to the next, or trying to do them all at once. The repetitive motion of coloring can be both catharctic and meditative, and you can focus on filling in the lines on the page. You're giving your brain some space and something to focus on that's meditative and containing. Coloring allows for creativity and can invoke positive childhood memories.

Adult coloring books are usually full of intricate designs - design based rather than color books populated by 'cows or princesses'. Jeanne Morrison's book "Hand-drawn Mandalas Coloring Book" was in the top 100 on Amazon recently for eight weeks. Hospitals and prisons have requested batches, who use them for therapy and stress release, and recovering surgery patients.

Coloring is cheap

You don't even have to pay money to color.One of the Facebook groups devoted to adult colorers, called Coloring Pages For Adults, regularly posts designs that you can print out and play with at your leisure. So what are you waiting for?